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Community Development Initiatives at Angelo State University was awarded $126,235 over two years to become a Volunteer in Service to America intermediary. VISTA volunteers will be placed with organizations working to lift Americans out of poverty with a focus on education, health and behavioral health.

The next step is to hire a manager, and for the first year, 2017, 'we are authorized to place 10 volunteers in nonprofit organizations around the Concho Valley,' said Kenneth L. Stewart, CDI director.

'Volunteers will engage in capacity building activities, which means they're not supposed to replace people who would be doing things that an organization already does, but rather, they will engage in activities that will help build additions or new approaches to their services,' he said.

Organizations looking to have a VISTA volunteer to help build their services should think about projects that will last a year long, Stewart said.

For more information about VISTA, either to become a volunteer or participating organization, call Stewart at 325-486-6423.

The following grants were also approved:

The Association of Asian-American Women was awarded $5,000 to expand its classroom curriculum. Its mission is to promote and nurture Asian culture and heritage through education and fellowship. Classes will begin next year at the Asian Cultural Center in Old Town San Angelo.

Eldorado Service Center was awarded $80,767 to open a soup kitchen and continue its senior meals program, which serves about 30 people a day. The soup kitchen will be open to all ages in need of a hot meal for lunch and will be located in the former Schleicher County Medical Center along with the WIC and MHMR offices.

Restoring Bronte Foundation was awarded $62,350 to purchase playground equipment for the Bronte Community Park. It will replace a few sparse items dating back to the 1950s. The ADA-compliant playground will accommodate children of all ages for recreation and exercise. The Bronte Foundation's mission is to foster charitable pathways to improve the community.

San Angelo Performing Arts Center was awarded $338,000 to purchase furniture, fixtures and equipment for the new Performing Arts Center and renovated City Auditorium. The Performing Arts Center is near completion, with the City Auditorium scheduled to open in mid- to late 2017.

Since its inception over 20 years ago, the Health Foundation has approved and awarded grants totaling $47,513,907 to benefit the Concho Valley by funding 201 organizations for 629 worthy projects, the release stated.

Grant applications and financial information can be found at sahfoundation.org.

For more information, email Tom Early at tomearly@sahfoundation.org or Deborah Watson at dwatson@sahfoundation.org, or call 325-486.0185.

Read or Share this story: https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/local/2016/09/29/health-foundation-awards-more-than-600000-in-grants/92184542/